Knock-down door buck construction with adjustable wall clamping means



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

yww h S. SKLAR May 3, 1966 KNOCK-DOWN DOOR BUCK CONSTRUCTION WITHADJUSTABLE WALL CLAMPING MEANS Filed Dec. 20, 1963 May 3, 1966 s. SKLAR3,248,833

KNOCK-DOWN DOOR BUCK CONSTRUCTION WITH ADJUSTABLE WALL CLAMPING MEANSFiled Dec. 20, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I N VEN TOR. 514/405; 6%: 4/?

Patented May 3, 1966 3,248,833 KNOCK-DOWN DOOR BUCK CONSTRUCTION WITHADJUSTABLE WALL CLAMPING MEANS Samuel Sklar, 63-153 Alderton St., RegoPark, Queens, N.Y. Filed Dec. 20, 1963, Ser. No. 332,092 3 Claims. (Cl.52-211) This invention relates to door frames, bucks, and the like andmore particularly is directed to knock-down door bucks preformed ofsheet metal as used in fire resistant portal constructions and is amodification of the construction described in my co-pending applicationSer. No. 230,577 for Knock-Down Door Buck Construction With AdjustableWall Clamping Means, filed October 15, 1962, now Patent No. 3,156,331.-The door bucks embodying this invention are for use directly on doorwayopenings formed in partitions and wall constructions of sheet rock,plaster blocks, cinder blocks, concrete or the like Without theutilization of supporting frames of wooden studs and lintels.

Among the objects of the invention is to generally improve door buckconstructions of the character described which shall be capable ofconforming to requirements of the fire underwriters for fireproof andfire resistant portal construction, which shall comprise three preformedbasic parts which require relatively unskilled labor for assembly andinstallation, which preformed parts in knockdown condition shall requirea minimum of shipping space and shall permit easy and rapid installationin an unframed doorway opening formed or cut in a partition or wallconstruction, which shall be formed with inturned flanges for contactingthe partition or wall bordering the doorway opening as a finished jointtherewith and have simplified and improved means for adjusting thespacing between the flanges for clamping the wall thercbetween, whichshall entirely eliminate the labor and material costs of framing adoorway with studs and lintel prior to installation of the door buck andshall serve to strengthen partitions made of sheet rock and the like,which shall include a novel, simplified interconnection between thejambs and head piece providing positive interlocking means accessiblefrom the exterior of the installed door buck and which shall be ruggedin construction and practical and eflicient to a high degree in use.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and in parthereinafter pointed out.

The invention accordingly consists of feature-s of construction,combination of elements and arrangements of parts which will beexemplified in the construction hereinafter disclosed, the scope of theapplication of which will be indicated in the claims following.

In the accompanying drawing in which an illustrative embodiment of theinvention is shown:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a wall or partition having adoorway formed therein in which a three piece buck embodying theinvention is installed.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 22 in FIG. 1, showingdetails of the jamb fitted over and clamping a wall or partition andillustrating the means for reducing the spacing between the inwardlyextending flanges and clamping the wall or partition in accordance withthe invention, the broken lines indicating the disposition of the jambparts in an expanded condition to permit mounting on a vertical edge ofthe doorway prior to tightening the set screw to effect the clamping.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 33 in FIG. 2 showingother details of the means for reducing the flange spacing.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 4--4 in FIG. 3showing still other details of the means for reducing the flangespacing.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged exploded fragmentary perspective view of the headpiece and jamb showing details of the corner joint construction, and

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary front elevational view of a corner ofthe door buck with parts broken away to show interior construction ofthe jamb and head piece interconnection and the simulated mitered joint.

Referring in detail to the drawing, 10 denotes a knockdown door buck orframe constructed to embody the invention seen to include a head piece11 for extending horizontally across the top of the doorway andinterconnecting at opposite ends thereof with vertically extending jambs12.

Head piece 11, as seen in FIGS. 5 and 6, may be formed of sheet metal asa channel-shaped member having opposite side Walls 11b each formed withan inwardly bent longitudinally extending flange 11a forming a topfinished ledge of the door frame and with inner edges lle thereof mayserve as elements of the improved wall or partition clamping means forthe installed buck 10 as hereinafter described. The bottom of head piece11 is formed with a depressed portion, U-shaped in cross-section,forming horizontal door stop portion 11d, the latter being positioned toprovide a horizontal door framing portion. As part of interlockingcorner connections with jambs 12, head piece 11 has the bottom thereofcut back from opposite ends thereof, that is, the bottom is shorter thanthe overall length of head piece 11, with side walls 11b having oppositebeveled end edge portions 11] extending upwardly and outwardly from thehead piece bottom to squared-off end portions 11g of side walls 11b andflanges 11a. Suitable components of the interconnection with the upperends of jambs 12 include a pair of aligned transverse slits 11h formedin bottom 11c adjacent each side wall 11b and spaced from each oppositeend thereof and a pair of aligned cutouts 111' formed in flanges 11aabove slits 11h.

lambs 12, which are mirror images of each other but otherwise identical,are likewise formed of sheet metal as channel-shaped members havingopposite side walls 12b extending at substantially right angles to jambportions 12c thereof, the latter having door stop portions 12d, U-shapedin cross section, projecting therefrom and positioned to providevertical door framing portions, the latter and door stop portions 12daligning with the horizontal door framing portion and door stop portion11d, respectively, of head piece 11 when in assembly as shown in FIGS.1, 5 and 6. The edges of side walls 12b opposite jamb portions 12c haveinwardly bent flanges 12a forming vertical finished edges for jambs 12,flanges 12a terminating in inner edges 12e serving as elements of theadjustable wall or partition clamping means embodying the invention.

Bottom ends of jambs 12 may be squared off, that is, have edgesextending at right angles with respect to the longitudinal axis of thejambs for standing flat on a floor ing surface. Upper ends of jambs '12are provided with components for interconnection with the ends of headpiece 11 and are seen in FIGS. 5 and 6 to have the upper edges 12f ofdoor stop portions 12d recessed from the upper edges 12g of the jambportions 120, upper edges 12g being in turn out back from the overalllength of flanges 12a, with side Walls 12b terminating in beveled edges12h extending from the upper ends of flanges 12a to the jamb portionupper edges 12g. A pair of tabs 12i are integrally formed to extend fromupper edges 12g to register with and engage transverse slits 11h ofreceive the downwardly projecting door stop portion 11d.

Suitable retaining slots 12 for receiving therein edge borders ofheadpiece side walls 11b may be provided by angle members 12k spotwelded to flanges 12a and side walls 12b, spacers 12m being interposedbetween the latter and members 12k for predetermining the width of slots12 Head piece 11 and jambs 12, being formed of channel-shaped stock,permit side walls 11b and 12b, respectively, to be sprung, that is,distorted from a slightly divergent to a substantially parallel or aconvergent relation along the width thereof to decrease the distancebetween the free inner edges He and 12a of flanges 11a and 1201,respectively, and thereby serve as a clamping means for gripping a wallor partition W in which door buck is installed. This clamping action isaccomplished in accordance with the invention by providing adjustableconstricting means at spaced intervals along jambs 12 and head piece 11.Such constricting means, illustrated as mounted on one of the jambs 12,is seen in FIGS. 2, 3, 4 and 5 to comprise a pair of tension plates 13each bent transversely at substantially right angles along four spacedapart fold lines fonning bends 13a, 13b, 13c and 13d sectionalizingplate 13 into two end flanges 13a and 131' and three intermediate panels13 13g and 13h.

Each of the end flanges 13e of a pair of tension plates 13 is rigidlyattached to the interior side of one of the flanges 12a of jamb 12, asby spot welding, so that reentrant bends 13a, as seen from the interiorof jamb 12, position intermediate panels 13) to extend along theinterior of side walls 12b and reentrant bends 13b position intermediatepanels 13g in close proximity to jamb portion 12c. Salient bends 13c inturn locate the intermediate panels 13h of the pair of tension plates 13in the hollow interior of door stop portion 12d in face to face alignedrelation for interconnection and relative adjustment toward and awayfrom each other by bolt 14 extending through suitable aligned openingstherein. Each of the other end flanges 131' of the pair of tensionplates 13 are positioned by reentrant bends 13a to extend toward eachother in substantially a common plane lying against the transverse wallof stop portion 12d. In order to retain tension plates 13 in properposition when bolt 14 is tightened, a pair of guides 15 are rigidlyattached, as by spot welding, to the interior of the transverse wall ofstop portion 12d and are formed with offset portions 15a providingtracks 15b into which opposite ends of flanges 13i extend for movementtherealong. Slots 13k are formed to extend inwardly from the upper andlower edges of intermediate panels 13h adjacent bends 13d to accommodateolfset portions 15a. The bends 1312 are stiffened by suitable meansagainst flexing, such as, by stamping thereacross a plurality ofdepressed ribs 131'.

Any suitable arrangement may be utilized for the operation of bolt 14 toaccomplish the spacing adjustment between tension plates 13 andparticularly intermediate panels 13h thereof, here shown as bolt head14a and nut 14b. The latter may be retained against rotation by seatingin a conforming depression 13m formed in the inter mediate panel 13hwhich abuts the nut 14]). Bolt head 14a may be formed to receive amanipulating tool such as an Allen wrench through an aligned opening121: formed in the projecting wall of stop portion 12d. A rubber plug 16may be used to conceal opening 12a and also serve as a bumper.

The utility of the invention will now be apparent. Door buck 10 isparticularly adapted for use in any partition or wall structure made ofcinder blocks, concrete, gypsum blocks, steel stud partition or wallconstruction with sheetrock facing and the like, without the use of awooden doorway frame and is here illustrated in combination with a wallW, details of construction of which are omitted.

A doorway is suitably cut in wall W in the well understood manner topredetermined dimensions corresponding to the size of buck 10 to beused.

Door buck 10 is delivered on the job in a knock-down condition withbolts 14 adjusted to dispose side walls 11b and 12b in a slightlydivergent or substantially parallel position to space free edges 11c and12e a predetermined distance apart to snugly accommodate the thicknessof wall W therebetween. In this position as indicated in broken lines inFIG. 2, tension plates 13 are spaced a maximum distance from each otherwith intermediate panels 13 substantially abutting side walls 12b. Doorbuck 10 is then simultaneously installed and assembled with minimum oflabor and skill by first holding head piece 11 in position with ahorizontal top edge portion of a top of the doorway extending betweenflanges 11a and the bottom 11c up against the horizontal free edge ofthe doorway. lambs 12 are then brought into position at an angle to thevertical so that tabs 12i align with transverse slits 1111. As jambs 12are brought into vertical position with the vertical edges of thedoorway extending between flanges 12a, tabs 121' enter transverse slits11h, beveled end edge portions 11 engage retaining slots 12 and headpiece 11 may be lowered so that the opposite ends of head piece bottom11c rest on upper edges 12] and 12g of jambs 12. In this positionbeveled edges 12 of side walls 12b overlie opposite squared off endportions 11g and beveled end edge portions 11 of head piece 11, and formsimulated mitered corners as shown in FIGS. 1 and 6. Jambs 12 and headpiece 11 may now be secured together by reaching in through cutouts 11iwith a suitable tool and bending down tabs 121' as shown in FIG. 6.

The installation of door buck 10 in the doorway of wall W may becompleted by rotating bolts 14 in a clockwise direction, bolt heads 14abeing accessible through openings 12n. Tension plates 13 are therebybrought closer together as intermediate panels 13h are urged toward eachother by the action of bolt head 14a and nut 14b. This in turn causesintermediate panels 131' to move toward each other and away from sidewalls 12b in the region of bend 13b, the latter being rigidified againstflexing. This movement brings inner edges 12a toward each other to clampwall W therebetween, a slight flexing taking place at bend 13a. Theclamping action is accomplished by a relatively small degree of flexingof side walls 12b whereby the spacing between opposite inner edges 12aof flanges 12a is reduced on the order of one eighth to one quarter ofan inch.

After bolts 14 are tightened, plugs 16 are mounted in openings 1211 injambs 12 and in a corresponding opening in head piece 11 when aconstricting means is incorporated therein. As indicated in FIG. 1 bythe showing of plugs 16, an average size door may utilize threeadjustable constricting means spaced apart along each jamb 12 and oneconstricting means in a midportion of head piece 11 to provide a rigidattachment between door "buck 10 and wall W, the channel shape of thebuck also serving to strengthen wall W alongthe edges of the doorway.Additional or fewer constricting means may be used as desired or may beomitted entirely from head piece 11 where the initial fit of the latteris snug and the corner interconnections are suflicient to provideacceptable rigidity.

One of the jambs 12 may be provided with conventional hinge plates 17,which may be suitably pre-attached and recessed from jamb portion in anywell understood manner. The other jamb 12 may have a conventionalopening (not shown) cut out for a bolt socket plate.

As per requirements, jambs 12 are sized in length for installationeither before or after the laying of a finished floor and door buck 10may be installed after wall W has its outer finish applied thereto.

It is thus seen that there is provided a knock-down door buckconstruction with adjustable wall clamping means of the characterdescribed in which the several objects of this invention are achievedand which is well adapted to meet the conditions of practical use,

As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention andas various changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth, itis to be understood that all matters herein set forth or shown in theaccompanying drawings are to be interpreted as illustrative and not in alimiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent:

1. In a metal preformed door buck construction for installing in adoorway cut in a wall, a pair of channelshaped jambs each integrallyformed with opposite side walls for extending over vertical edges of awall bordering said doorway, flanges inwardly bent toward each otherextending from said opposite side walls for clampingly contactingopposite sides of said wall, adjustable constricting means coacting withsaid side walls to flex the latter and bring said flanges toward eachother to effect said clamping contact, each jamb having a jamb portionfrom which said opposite side Walls integrally extend, said jamb portionbeing integrally formed with a door stop portion extendinglongitudinally along a midportion thereof having opposite projectingwalls and an interconnecting transverse wall defining an interiorchannel, said adjustable constricting means including a plurality ofpairs of tension plates, each pair being spaced from each other alongthe interior of each jarmb, each plate of the pair being connected atone end to one of said flanges and having an opposite end sectionlocated in said interior channel in spaced face to face alignment, meansadjustably interconnecting said opposite end sections for movementtoward each other to effect said clamping contact, each of the tensionplates in said pairs being bent to conform substantially to the interiorcontour of the jamb, and guide means carried on the interior of saidtransverse wall forming tracks for engagement by a portion of eachtension plate for retaining said plates in position when tension isapplied therebetween exerting said clamping.

2. The metal preformed door buck defined in claim 1 in which saidadjustable interconnecting means includes a headed bolt extendingthrough said opposite end sections and a nut retained against rotation,said bolt lying within and extending across said interior channel, anopening in one of said projecting walls in alignment with said bolt headfor access thereto for rotation thereof to effect said clamping.

3. The metal preformed door buck defined in claim 1 in which each ofsaid bent tension plates has a first panel conforming substantially tothe width of said side wall and a second panel extending at right anglesto the first panel and adjacent to the jamb portion, the bend betweensaid first and second panels being rigidified against flexing.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,538,138 1/1951Webster 189-46 2,582,765 1/1952 Brew 189-46 2,741,344 4/1956 Herr 189-46HARRISON R. MOSELEY, Primary Examiner.

CHARLES E. OCONNELL, Examiner.

1. IN A METAL PREFORMED DOOR BUCK CONSTRUCTION FOR INSTALLING IN ADOORWAY CUT IN A WALL, A PAIR OF CHANNELSHAPED JAMBS EACH INTEGRALLYFORMED WITH OPPOSITE SIDE WALLS FOR EXTENDING OVER VERTICAL EDGES OF AWALL BORDERING SAID DOORWAY, FLANGES INWARDLY BENT TOWARD EACH OTHEREXTENDING FROM SAID OPPOSITE SIDE WALLS FOR CLAMPINGLY CONTACTINGOPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID WALL, ADJUSTABLE CONSTRICTING MEANS COACTING WITHSAID SIDE WALLS TO FLEX THE LATTER AND BRING SAID FLANGES TOWARD EACHOTHER TO EFFECT SAID CLAMPING CONTACT, EACH JAMB HAVING A JAMB PORTIONFROM WHICH SAID OPPOSITE SIDE WALLS INTEGRALLY EXTEND, SAID JAMB PORTIONBEING INTEGRALLY FORMED WITH A DOOR STOP PORTION EXTENDINGLONGITUDINALLY ALONG A MIDPORTION THEREOF HAVING OPPOSITE PROJECTINGWALLS AND AN INTERCONNECTING TRANSVERSE WALL DEFINING AN INTERIORCHANNEL, SAID ADJUSTABLE CONSTRICTING MEANS INCLUDING A PLURALITY OFPAIRS OF TENSION PLATES, EACH PAIR BEING SPACED FROM EACH OTHER ALONGTHE INTERIOR OF EACH JAMB, EACH PLATE OF THE PAIR BEING CONNECTED AT ONEEND TO ONE OF SAID FLANGES AND HAVING AN OPPOSITE END SECTION LOCATED INSAID INTERIOR CHANNEL IN SPACED FACE TO FACE ALIGNMENT, MEANS ADJUSTABLYINTERCONNECTING SAID OPPOSITE END SECTIONS FOR MOVEMENT TOWARD EACHOTHER TO EFFECT SAID CLAMPING CONTACT, EACH OF THE TENSION PLATES INSAID PAIRS BEING BENT TO CONFORM SUBSTANTIALLY TO THE INTERIOR CONTOUROF THE JAMB, AND GUIDE MEANS CARRIED ON THE INTERIOR OF SAID TRANSVERSEWALL FORMING TRACKS FOR ENGAGEMENT BY A PORTION OF EACH TENSION PLATEFOR RETAINING SAID PLATES IN POSITION WHEN TENSION IS APPLIEDTHEREBETWEEN EXERTING SAID CLAMPING.